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[Essex Lad]

John M - The bike is almost all new,brakes, electrics, speedo, carb, wheels, hubs, and has many more modern features, and was advertised as such at the time. It is a hybrid. However, I don't subscribe to your view based on the gewgaws hanging off the frame that it is not what is it purported to be. I had a 1953 split screen Morris, but it had a 1978 Rover V8 engine and a Jaguar rear end. It remained registered as a 1953 Morris. I wasn't asking anyone to risk their accreditation, but I would have appreciated a feedback chat to work out the options and possibilities before the door was slammed with the formal letter sent. The bike was never inspected to ascertain originality or not. Unless of course you have fabulous forensic powers that I don't, I can't see how you can pronounce like many others on this forum, who have proved to be ermm, wrong. Fact is, I have a nice bike which has now got a 1977 age related registration, and I enjoy that as such. What is not easy for the REOC is accepting any of the early Indian numbers, frame or engine, as it is clear that they were not uniform, not recorded correctly, overstamping happened at the factory, and were not subject to the same registration rigours. Given that they were mostly military use, who knows the real history? If the DVLA give you a Q plate, oh well, never mind. I say get over it, enjoy the bike for what it is. . An anachronism.

[John M]

James, my main issue with altered engine and frame numbers is that they are usually an indication of criminality, NOT ON YOUR PART, but on the part of the person who rung the bike in the first place.
Presumably the bike had a registration number and genuine frame and engine numbers when it was rattling around India, you have to ask yourself why it wasn’t exported using its genuine identity unless it is stolen.
Why hasn’t it got half width hubs, or the correct pre-1988 forks? Is it because the conscientious business man in India wants to eat into his profit margin and treat you to parts from a later bike, or did he ever posses the original parts? Do people who are in the market for older bikes actually want modern parts on them, or would the older parts have been more desirable?
Why didn’t they use the original frame and crankcases if they had possession of the 1977 bike? Perhaps the genuine bike is still running around India, who would ever know? Which bit of your bike do you honestly believe is from 1977?
If it is stolen and why would they use legitimate bikes if they are going to whizz the numbers off them, then shipping it half way around the world doesn’t stop it being stolen and under U.K. law it remains the property of the loser irrespective of how innocent the purchaser is.
In the unlikely event that you are stopped by the police in the U.K. and they suspect the numbers to be altered they will seize the bike and use their “fabulous forensic powers” or a few simple chemicals, to recover the original numbers, which will still be present, particularly beneath the soft, highly polished surface of the engine. In that scenario a “Q” plate would seem like a blessing.
As for an anachronism........................ Ringer would be far more apt.

[Scalyback]

Maybe it was nicked in India, maybe not.



Essex Lad has still got himself a nice looking bullet. Against all our (correct) advice, he went and did it, and I guess he was lucky and won!



Maybe the numbers are dodgy, but I assume he didn't have a clue about possibly underhand stuff when he ordered it. He came here for advice, didn't try to hide anything, and kept us updated.


We all know any bike that gets pinched is either sold quick or parted out. Maybe Bhaji is a legit bike, maybe not, but I wish him well with it. I don't really believe that he would knowingly go after a dodgy bullet and then come ask on a forum for advice and stuff.



Essex lad, We'll probably never know for sure, but go and enjoy your bullet mate, and if you are anywhere near the hollyville cafe after about 20 october, I'll get the coffee in!

[Essex Lad]

I'll be brief. The Indians would have far more access to upgraded or modern parts, and very cheap,in fact the parts are so cheap that it would be daft to use anything else. They make a business out of rebuilding bikes for a couple of hundred quid and flogging it on ebay for 1200 quid. I got Indian registration documents with the bike, and that was submitted to DVLA. They accepted those documents. You still can't accept I couldn't give a monkeys about originality,I am not precious about having a concours bike. You are even more strident about my bike being a ringer, still without a shred of evidence. For all I (or you) know I have the right engine and frame from the original bike, you are just making the usual ill informed daft international crime gang scenarios out of what may well be an honest and decent trader, and you are just slandering them.